Retirement

Klitschko announced his retirement on November 9, 2005, after undergoing knee surgery, which had postponed his November 12, 2005 fight with Hasim Rahman for the WBC and The Ring Heavyweight Titles.

The fight had been postponed four times in 2005. The fight was originally scheduled for April 30, but was postponed when Klitschko pulled a muscle in his upper thigh while jogging. The fight was rescheduled for June 18, but pushed back again because the thigh muscle wasn't fully healed. The next date, July 23, had to be changed after Klitschko had minor back surgery. The final postponement occurred after Klitschko injured his knee while sparring. Promoter Bob Arum said the fight could be rescheduled for March 2006, but Klitschko, frustrated by his injuries, decided to retire.

At the WBC gala on December 20, 2005, Klitschko was appointed "Champion Emeritus" by the WBC, a status which allowed him to become the WBC mandatory challenger when he later announced his intention to return to the ring in 2007. He beat defending champion Samuel Peter for the WBC belt on October 11, 2008.

Political Aspirations

Klitschko ran for mayor of Kiev and parliament in the Ukrainian elections on March 26, 2006. He campaigned on an anti-corruption platform.

Klitschko is a supporter of current Ukranian president Viktor Yushchenko and his party, Our Ukraine. Klitschko was seen at Yushchenko's side during the 2004 Orange Revolution, which ultimately resulted in Yushchenko's election as president.

Klitschko received 26% of the vote in the mayoral election. He was ahead of incumbent mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko, but trailed businessman Leonid Chernovetskiy. Klitschko's aspirations for parliament were also unsuccessful, as his party received less than 3% of the vote, which was necessary to earn representation in parliament. However, Klitschko was elected as a people's deputy to Kiev City Council.